Be Cam Ready

Love Island started last month, and my wife can’t wait to binge on it all summer.  I was intrigued with a hair straightener manufacturer – Cloud Nine. They have sponsored this elaborate hair straightening station in the bedroom area of the villa. It allows for 6 girls simultaneously to dry and straighten their hair before going out on camera. And the boys too, I’ve been told.

And that’s the point. When you’re appearing on Zoom or Teams, be Cam Ready. Check your image, background, lighting, and vocals before you appear, so you come across as cam ready.

You can do this by setting preferences on zoom to preview your look before entering the room or on Teams by previewing. Better still, have a dedicated area where you present from. Either a separate webcam that is permanently fixed to a specific background. What I call your Teamscape or Zoomzone. That way, you’ll be reasonably confident that your camera and sound is going to be OK.

After all, you would check yourself in the mirror in the bathroom before entering a physical meeting, wouldn’t you, so why not do the same when virtual.

As for Love Island, I couldn’t imagine watching anything worse but everyone to their own. I can watch Premiership Football in the other room. Plus my war films, world war one documentary and BBC 4 music shows from the 60s and 70s. Have you yawned yet?